Packing list

You will on occasion need to transport your entire luggage up to a kilometer over rough terrain, and you will be completely packing and un-packing your pack numerous times over the course. Please make sure that your luggage is conducive to these activities. A backpacking pack is ideal but not required.

Geology supplies:

o   Rite in the Rain field book- Make sure to get a big enough book: ~4 5/8” x 7 ¼”. Don’t get the tiny ring bounded notepads. Try to get at least 160 pages or so.  (People who used the skinny soft ones ran out of pages in the past).

o   Colored Pencils - A 24 pencil set. Quality pencils like Prisma color are recommended.

o   Pencil Sharpener

o   Ruler x 3 – the little red transparent kind with a protractor on it! Also with the metric grid. 

o   Hand lens – 10x

o   Mechanical Pencils – AT LEAST FIVE, must be .5mm, none of this .7 nonsense. Extra Lead. 

o   Eraser – a good one. 

o   Micron pens – 01 tip size (.25 mm), BLACK. You will need at least 3 of these, they get busted. 

o   Map Board – You can make one if you like with two pieces of Plexiglas and some duct tape. Best if you can make it A4 paper size ( 210 by 297 millimetres of 8.27 in × 11.7 in) . Notice this is not an 8.5 x 11.

o   Rock hammer – A normal pick will work fine, the 10” 12 oz chisel head is not recommended.  

o   Suunto (or similar) compass – You will modify your compass with a tripod level to make it usable as a geology compass. 

Field Clothing:

o   Field bag – small day pack with room for your field equipment and 2-3L of water. 

o   Rain Jacket – Make sure it is actually water-proof. If it is raining, we will be outside. 

o   Rain pants – you will be sad without these. 

o   Field pants x 2 – The temperature will vary between 40-90 degrees. You might want a warmer pair, and a lighter pair, OR a lighter pair and a pair of long underwear (you only get one bag). We are serious about actual field pants. You will spend a lot of time in these clothes, and on occasion in unpleasant weather. 

o   Solid field shoes – hiking shoes are fine, if you have weak ankles you might want boots. NOT TENNIS SHOES.

o   One extra pair of shoe laces 

o   Field Hat – It is sunny.

o   Long sleeve field shirt x 2 – loose fitting, light color, probably best to stay away from cotton.

o   Sun screen – get 100000 spf, you will be in the sun for six weeks straight. 

o   OPTIONAL: Camelbak or Nalgene bottles – tap water is usually potable in Italy. 

Personal Items:

Please remember: 1) you will be limited to one bag. 2) If you want to go into a museum or church you need to look presentable, i.e. covered shoulders, no shorts, no sandals (this is not our rule, you may be stopped).

o   One week’s worth of socks, underwear, shirts. - Smart wool socks are recommended (smart wool, darn tough, etc.). 

o   One pair of non-field pants

o   One pair of shorts (Italians don’t wear shorts)

o   One warm piece of outer wear – fleece/jacket/extremely compressible jacket. 

o   One Sweater/sweatshirt. 

o   One pair of non-field shoes. 

o   One towel

o   Soap/shampoo/ toiletries in general – you will have occasional opportunities to go to stores. 

DO NOT BRING YOUR LAPTOP! If you need occasional internet/skype capabilities, we will provide it. 

Optional/Accessories:

o   Ipad/Ipod/smartphone (optional) 

o   Outlet adapter – Italy uses 220 current and different outlets. If you have an accessory you are unsure of how to power please bring it by and I can help you figure it out. 

o   Ear plugs

o   Hat/Gloves (optional, but it may be cold at the beginning and end of the trip)

o   Medication – MAKE SURE YOU GET PRESCRIPTIONS FILLED FOR THE WHOLE TIME YOU ARE THERE. Also, if you use sleeping aids, you cannot get these in Europe without a prescription.

o   You need to be prepared to medicate a minor illness! We are not permitted to purchase cold or pain medicine for students in the group. If you need Pseudophedrine, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, etc., you will need to provide it for yourself. 

o   Bathing suit – you will get an opportunity to swim. 

o   Laundry bag

o   Sleeping bag – Some people found this to be useful in the past, the instructors do not bring them. Alternatively a sleeping bag liner. 

Food:

We have found that some students find the eating schedule in Italy difficult to manage with the work schedule. If you are concerned about this, consider bringing some power bars/cliff bars/whatever high density snack to eat during the day. You will have opportunities to go to the grocery store as well, but not everyday, and sometimes not for a week or so.